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Spirit to see out NBL season on "bare minimum" pay

3rd December, 2008
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The beleaguered Sydney Spirit will see out the NBL season after players and coaching staff voted to accept “absolute bare minimum” pay in an adjusted rescue package.

Interim NBL chief executive Scott Derwin said the decision by the players on Tuesday night to accept the package offered by the league meant that the Spirit would now complete the current season.

“They really are playing for the love of the game and have accepted the absolute bare minimum salary to cover their families living expenses,” said Derwin.

“We are glad that we have managed to find a way for the Spirit to continue in the league, given their outlook just over a week ago was very bleak.”

With the agreement of the other team owners, the league stepped in with the rescue package after elusive Spirit owner Greg Evans was issued with a default notice last Wednesday.

Losing the Spirit would have meant the league had no presence in Australia’s largest city.

Despite the threat of extinction, coach Rob Beveridge’s young side showed great resolve on Saturday night when they toppled league leaders South Dragons in a thriller at home.

“The issues facing the Spirit have been truly unique and therefore called for a unique solution,” Derwin said.

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“The League funding the on-going operations of a team in financial trouble is highly unusual, but we believe it was absolutely necessary in this case and we are pleased that the Spirit will now see out the season.”

Derwin said that gate receipts from all remaining Spirit home games will continue to go towards paying the players and coaching staff for their outstanding contractual salaries owed above those already covered in the rescue package.

“We have made the commitment that, once basic operational costs are covered, all additional profits will be funnelled back to try to make up for what the players and coaching staff are owed under their contracts with the club.

“That means that by Sydney fans buying a ticket to a Spirit game, they are directly helping the players, coaches and their families through what has been a tremendously stressful period.”

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